New York, New York - Activists disrupted the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show on Saturday to demand urgent measures to address the global climate emergency.

The action, organized by the New York City chapter of Extinction Rebellion, took place during the agility competition at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Protesters twice walked out onto the course carrying bright orange banners reading "No Dogs on a Dead Planet."

Extinction Rebellion NYC said the goal of the demonstration was to raise awareness of the global climate emergency and its devastating consequences for humans and animals alike.

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"We are not protesting dog lovers, nor are we protesting the dog show," Extinction Rebellion spokesperson Miles Grant explained in a press release.

"We are demanding that we all acknowledge the reality of the climate catastrophe that is unfolding before us all. If we don’t disrupt, nature will! Nature's disruption will last much longer."

Videos of the disruptions on social media showed security officers surrounding the protesters and forcibly dragging them from the competition.

"No matter how brutal the response is, we'll keep pushing," Extinction Rebellion NYC wrote on X.

Extinction Rebellion, first established in the UK, has gained international attention for its prominent acts of civil disobedience in pursuit of climate action and environmental justice. With world leaders failing to adequately address the crisis, the group is calling for citizens assemblies to determine next steps toward a just transition.

"Here in New York City, the weather has been getting less predictable and more extreme. This will be our new normal unless we all act soon," warned activist Meredith Faltin, who was involved in Saturday's protest.

"We want the dog show to continue for generations to come! If we don't act now, that won't be possible."